There is still a huge debate ongoing regarding the necessity of more passenger numbers through the airports of the South East with arguments for an extra runway at Heathrow or Gatwick, or the Boris Johnson Airport in the Thames Estuary.

The cost of this is going to be enormous whatever is decided; figures of billions are talked about, and a 10 year span is reckoned to get a new runway at Gatwick alone, and probably more than that for Heathrow once they demolish the whole habitation of Harmondsworth and surrounding area.

Is consideration is ever going to be given by the present incumbents of power to any proposals of improving access to airports in our part of the world?

Airports apparently do not exist north of Luton, or is that Watford Gap!

At present Heathrow’s own figures show that 1.5m tonnes of cargo flow through anually. Gatwick’s cargo figures are much lower but Gatwick’s own CEO has said cargo volume will increase “tenfold” if a second runway is built there.

Heathrow and Gatwick have dedicated cargo terminals, and specialised areas for unusual cargo such as animals.

We can save taxpayers billions at a stroke:

Stop the cargo going into the South East and divert it to a huge runway in Yorkshire.

A runway beside which there is massive room for expansion and building of infrastructure.

A runway which is a couple miles from the new, presently being built, dedicated I-port south of Doncaster, designed to be easily accesible to the motorway and rail network in all directions.

A more central, cost effective, location to could not be bettered.

Immediately we have freed up the landing slots in the South for passengers, stopped the totally uneccesary building of runways in the South, and as Doncaster Robin Hood grows, we have better facilities for the Northern Powerhouse and will grow to provide better facilities.

I doubt No. 10 or anyone in the South East will see this paper, but if they do, maybe they could think about the whole of the UK rather than their own little area.

Ins and outs for farmers...

From: Nigel J Starbuck, Carnarvon Close, Bingham, Nottingham.

THE farming community is fearful of the UK withdrawing from the EU; a situation easy to empathise with as the farming industry is in crisis and dependent upon subsidies paid through the EU.

Inevitably should we leave, agricultural delegates are unsure to where the money will come from?

Currently the UK pays the equivalent of £53m a day into the EU, and in the event of leaving the UK would be able to pay the subsidies directly to the farmers.

Ironically over the 10-year period up to late 2014, the EU fined the UK £265m for paying farmers later then the rules allowed.

Early 2015, EU legislation changed regarding payment rules and it took a while for civil servants to grasp the new measures resulting in late payment fines of £140m.

A philosophical approach would be to argue if Britain wasn’t in the EU, the 55,000 beneficiaries of the farming subsidies could have received a share of the £405m paid in fines?

David Cameron’s reforms do nothing to prevent the EU extracting money from us; his so-called reforms are designed so he gets rewarded with a cushy commissioner role or becomes the Euro President if we vote to ‘Remain’.

From: Ian Oglesby, High Catton Road, Stamford Bridge, York.

IF the result of the referendum is to “remain”, we will find ourselves more deeply integrated into that corrupt, bureaucratic system and Europhiles will be like bees round the Brussels honey pot, seeking plum jobs, as they have done in the past.

Stereotyping can be harmful

From: Stephen Oversby, Director, Barnardo’s East Region.

HIGH profile child sexual exploitation (CSE) cases like those in Rotherham and Rochdale have led many people to assume that all CSE victims are white British girls. But it’s not the case – Barnardo’s know it affects children regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, faith, disability or upbringing.

The stereotype means that some front-line workers may be missing children affected by CSE. We think that a better understanding of the diversity of CSE victims is essential to tackling this vile form of abuse.

Professionals need to receive training to help them identify children who have experienced, or are at risk of CSE and Barnardo’s also wants relevant organisations to work better together and share information on the diversity of victims.

It is critical that school lessons focus on sex and healthy relationships to help children feel more confident in being able to identify possible risky situations.

This should include information on all types of relationships. Recognising the diversity of victims will help ensure CSE victims are identified and get the support they need.